A New Task
by Changel537
Summary: Kel has just gotten back to the palace when Lord Wyldon calls for her. He has a bit of a surprise for her. Please RR. I forgot to put a disclaimer in there, so I don't own anything but the plot. Making it PG-13 just in case.
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Note: Alright, this is fixed a tiny tiny bit. The only thing that is different is I mentioned Tortall fighting with Carthaki and... well, I took it out. I'll explain in a minute. Please review and give me your opinions! And ideas! Ideas are good! ::nods:: R/R!!**

**All right, I was writing away at this and some people asked me "Why are they trying to keep Carthakians out of Tortall when they are at peace with each other?" Well, the reason was....... I haven't read the books in a while and I wasn't thinking things through very well when I wrote that. So, instead of trying to get a whole bunch of history in there and figure out why Tortall is fighting with Carthaki, I just took it out. Sorry! I hope you weren't really hoping to get a lot going with that! ; I think more might happen in that area later in the story however. I just need to get the books again first. ;**

**One more thing. I have also had people asking me why Lord Wyldon is back because he quit in Squire. You are very right! Again, brain fried and I forgot. So, because I am lazy and don't want to totally re-write the whole story we're going to have an alternate reality thing going on where he didn't quit. Sound good?**

**I'm doing my best at remembering the books and only have Page at my house right now. I'll try not to make any more mistakes like that. ; But, I'm not perfect... unfortunately. Anyway, Read away! Enjoy!**

* * *

**A New Task**

Lady knight Kelandry of Mindelan walked quickly down the long palace corridor, heading for the training yards. The echo of her footsteps bounced off the walls as she went. As she walked, she tuned out the sound of the footsteps and began to think about the past year. She had spent that last year training village men and boys in the village of Lyder at the western border of Tortall. Because of a war threat from Tusaine she trained these men in the areas of swords, staffs, hand-to-hand combat, and archery. In that year her students had improved very much in the practice field, but she wasn't sure how they would do in actual battle.

_Not the most exciting work for a knight,_ she thought. _Yet, better than sitting around the palace attending balls and banquets and the like._

She grinned. Highly disliking social functions was one of the many things she and her knight master, Lord Raoul, had in common.

"Lady Kel!" a boy yelled from behind her. She quickly turned to see a young boy clad in red and gold, the pages uniform.

"Yes?" Kel replied.

"Lord Wyldon wishes to speak with you," the boys panted, out of breath from running. "He says he will be waiting in his office."

"Now?" Kel asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the boys answered.

Kel sighed. She had only been back for a day and her old training master wished to see her already!

"Very well," she answered. "Thank you."

With that the boy ran off down the corridor again. Kel watched him run for a moment before changing directions to go to Lord Wyldon.

_What could he possibly want?_ she wondered. _Well, at least he wont be giving me any punishment work as he did when I was a page._

Smiling at this thought and remembering many hours of punishment work, she knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Come in," Lord Wyldon's deep voice sounded from the other side.

Kel shoved the door open and quickly entered the large room. Lord Wyldon was sitting at his desk with his back to a large window that looked over the training yards. The desk was piled high with papers and books, and there was a staff leaning against the right side of the desk.

"My lord?" Kel bowed respectfully.

"Ah, Lady Kel. Please, have a seat." He motioned to the chair in front of the unorganized desk.

Kel lowered herself into the chair and folded her hands in her lap. She was very curious as to why Lord Wyldon would want to see her, but kept her emotions carefully hidden behind her Yamani mask.

"I suppose you are wondering why I called you hear so soon after your arrival," he began.

_Good guess,_ Kel answered silently.

"As you know our fourth year pages just finished their examinations and several were chosen to be squires for various knights. Your friend, Sir Nealen is considering taking on a squire this year or next, actually. Anyway, usually I continue to train the squires who are still here, but I am not as young as I used to be, and I have my hands full with just the pages."

Kel had never thought of her training master as being old. Now as she looked at him she saw many gray patches in his brown hair, and wrinkles on his determined brown and around his blue eyes.

"What are you asking, sir?" She asked.

"I am asking you to assist me in training the pages and squires."

Kel's jaw dropped.

"Begging your pardon, my lord, but why me?" She replied, stunned.

"A few knights such as Sir Nealen and Sir Owen have told me that you gave them, and several other pages, many extra lessons during your years as a page." A smile played at the corner of the older man's lips. "Not to mention you did just spend the last year training villagers who had never so much as looked at a sword before you arrived, did you not?"

"Yes, I did, sir," she answered. She knew that she was good at weapons and could be a help to Lord Wyldon. However, he had never liked her. So why would he want to have her around?

"You would pretty much be in charge of the squires, because there are usually fewer of them than pages, but you would also help me with the pages from time to time," he told her.

Training pages and squires was not exactly what she had planned for her life. She was sure there were worse things she could be doing, but there certainly were more exciting things as well.

"Would this be a temporary position, my Lord?"

"It could be; however, I was hoping that I could convince you to tkae my place as the next training master, or mistress in your case, in a few years," he answered calmly.

That was the second time he had shocked her in just a few minutes.

"You want me for the next training master?" She asked in disbelief. Lord Wyldon nodded. "But, sir, I may be qualified to teach temporarily, but I am certainly not qualified to be the training master."

"I am getting older, Kel, but I'm not I that I old yet," he answered smiling. "It will be several more years before I retire. That gives me several years to train you as well as several more years for you to go with other knights into battle as well as with the King's Own, and taking your squires on excursions every now and again."

Kel nodded again. This was all sounding very nice. She would have several more years to get battle out of her system as well as gaining more experience, and she would have Lord Wyldon training her besides that.

_Sounds busy,_ She thought.

But there was still the fact that Lord Wyldon never liked her.

"With all due respect, sir, but you never particularly liked training me as a page, why would you want to train me even more?" She finally asked.

"I think I can endure a few more year of training you." Was his answer.

"Thank you, my lord," Kel said, bowing her head politly. "May I have some time to consider your offer?"

"Of course. Let me know your answer as soon as possible."

Kel stood up and bowed.

"Good day, Sir."

She quickly turned and left the office. As soon as the door closed behind her she let her Yamani mast fall and a smile spread across her face.

"The old stump has softened," she said quietly.

She began walking towards her rooms.

"Wow," she said shaking her head.

* * *

**A/N Well?? What'cha think? Review? Pretty please??? There is a pretty little button at the lower left hand corner....... Click it! Please??**

**Kitty**


	2. Old Friends

**Author's Note thingy: Yay! I only sent the first chapter today and I already got a review! YAY! huggles Sam So, since I did get a review, and I was really bored today, I am updating already. Wow. Warning: I almost NEVER update this quickly. **

**Oh, and Sam, your questions will be answered as the story goes on! **

**One more thing. About a quarter of the way down the page there is a little fence of 'I's....... "IIIIIIIIIIIIIII" looks like that. That is because I can't get to let me put anything else to devide scenes. So yeah. Anyway, shutting up now, on with the story!**

* * *

**Old Friends**

"Tobe!" Kel called as she walked into her room.

The room was small in comparison to some of the other Knight's rooms, but it was large enough for her and Tobe to practice their staff and glaive routines in the morning. There was a bed against the far wall with a trunk for her clothes at the foot. On the left wall was a desk and chair next to the doorway into Tobe's smaller sleeping room. On the other wall was a bookshelf filled with history and magic books as well as a few books with instructions for combat and planning strategies. Next to the bookshelf there were 3 hooks for hanging outer tunics and scarves. On the other side of the hooks was another doorway leading to the bathing room where there was a tub and a counter with a basin and pitcher on it.

Tobe peeked through the doorway to his room.

"Yeah?" he answered.

"What would you think of calling the palace our home?" She asked as she pulled her boots off.

"What?" Tobe asked looking slightly confused and walking into the room with Kel. He leaned causally against the doorway. He had grown since Kel had first found him 3 years earlier. He was now eleven years old and five feet three inches tall. He had built up quite a bit of muscle working with Kel over the years. His blond hair hung around his face and almost down to his shoulders. His blue eyes sparkled in the candlelight.

"Lord Wyldon offered me a job as assistant training master here. He would be training me to take over for him when he retires," Kel explained, stripping off her over tunic and throwing it on the bed next to her.

"The Stump wants you to work with him?" Tobe asked using the nickname for Lord Wyldon that Kel's friend Neal had given him so long ago.

"That's right," Kel answered. "What do you think of the idea of staying here?"

"No offence meant, Kel, but you aren't one for staying in one place for very long," He said running his hand through his hair.

"Oh, I know that. But for the next several years I wouldn't have to stay here all the time, this would just be our base. We would still go do things, and we would go on various trips, learning trips, with the squires," she told him.

"You sound like you really want to do this," Tobe commented.

"Well, training a bunch of boys isn't exactly what I had in mind for my life, but it's better than sitting behind a desk. Besides, I'll have plenty of time to get battle and fighting out of my system before I take over. Is my bath ready?"

Tobe nodded and Kel strode into the bathing room closing the curtain behind her.

"You haven't told me what you think of the idea, Tobe." Kel stripped her clothes off and lowered herself into the hot bath.

"It's fine with me, if that's what you want to do," Tobe answered though the curtain.

"I'll think about it," she said.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

After her bath and reading up on some history of Tortall she made her way down for supper. As she stood in line to get her supper she heard several men call her name. Looking over her shoulder she saw Neal, Cleon, and Dom all waving her over to their table. As soon as she had gotten her food she went and sat down next to Neal.

"Kel! Long time no see!" Neal cried giving her a one armed hug. Smiling, Kel returned the gesture.

"Yes, and you are horrible at writing," she answered.

"Didn't you know?" Dom interjected. "He only writes the ladies he is in love with regularly."

"That must be why I can count all of my letters from him on one hand," she said thoughtfully.

"I sent more than that," Neal argued.

"Yeah, probably six," Cleon joked. Then he turned to Kel. "Hello, my rose."

Kel smiled. Even if Cleon wasn't courting her, she liked hearing his old names for her.

"Hello, Cleon," she replied.

"When did you get back?"

"How long will you be back?"

"Did you go out to see the new pages yet?"

"How is Tobe?"

Her friends began bombarding her with questions. As they all continued to ask questions without letting her speak she went ahead and ate her supper. She was almost finished when they finished asking their questions.

"I got back last night," she began. "And I don't know how long I'm back for because Lord Wyldon offered me a position as assistant trainer for the squires. No I—"

"He did what?!" The three men asked in unison not allowing her to finish answering questions that she remembered.

"He asked me to be his assistant," she told them. "He'd be training me to take over for him after he retires."

"That does not sound like something the Stump would do!" Neal cried.

"I know. That's what I thought too," Kel answered. "But he was serious. He told me to think about it and give him an answer as soon as possible."

"Why does he want you to take over and not a more experienced knight?" Cleon asked. "I mean, no offence, but you have only been a night for about four or five years."

"That is what I told him, well, basically what I told him," she replied. "But he said that he wont be retiring for another several years so that gives me time to gain the experience that I would need as well as various skills in training that I don't already have."

"Have you decided if you are going to do it or not yet?" Dom asked.

"No, I haven't. I wanted more time to think about it," Kel said looking down at her plate. "I don't know if I want to stay in one place for very long."

Kel and her friends continued to talk about the things that were happening around Tortall. It was extremely quite. The most that many knights were doing was rounding up bandits around the kingdom.

"Kel, would you go for a walk with me?" Neal asked when they had finished supper. 

The two of them left their other friends and walked out to the training yards.

"I assume no one told you yet, considering you aren't bubbling over with joy," Neal said as they walked.

"Told me what?" Kel asked looking up at her friend.

"There is another girl page."

Kel stopped in her tracks.

"There is? Since when? Does Lord Wyldon treat her any better than he did me?" She asked.

Neal turned around to face her. A smile was on his face. He had expected his friend would react this way.

"Yes, there is. She started this year. I don't know how Lord Wyldon treats her. I have only been back a few days myself and haven't had a chance to watch any of the training yet," Neal reliped. "I was thinking we could go watch tomorrow. Do you think this will influence your decision about Lord Wyldon's offer?"

"It might," Kel answered truthfully. "Yes, let's watch tomorrow. How long are you staying?"

"I don't know yet. Until I receive orders to go else where I suppose," he said.

The two began walking again. At around 11 o'clock they headed back to Kel's rooms. When they reached the room they stopped in front of the door.

"I'd invite you in, but Tobe is probably asleep," Kel told her friend.

"Ah yes, Tobe. How is the lad doing? Last time I saw him he was just starting to get a little meat on his bones," Neal said.

"He is doing just fine. He can almost beat me with a staff. And he has gotten quite strong," She answered.

"Really? I guess you have been teaching him well. Maybe that is why Lord Wyldon wants you to assist him." Neal grinned.

"Perhaps." Kel responded. "Well, my bed is calling me. Good night, Neal."

Kel gave him a good night hug. Neal held her longer than she had expected him too. When he did let her go he smiled at her and quickly strode away. Kel watched him until he turned the corner. She then turned and went into her room. She did a few stretches before falling into bed and promptly falling asleep.

* * *

**AN: Well??? what do you think? Review?? Pretty please?? And ideas. Ideas are good. Helps avoid writer's block. lol.**

**Kitty**


	3. A Training Day

**Author's Note: Another Chapter! Yay! And reviews! Yippee!! I like reviews. Very nice. Thank you so much to my reviewers!**

**Alice and Lioness Fury: **Yes, you two are right about Lord Wyldon quiting in "Squire" I had forgotten that. I haven't read the books in about a year and am in the prossess of buying them as well as getting them from the library until I can buy them. So I will try not to make any more major mistakes like that. But, for the time being, we will just pretend that Lord Wyldon stuck around a while longer. ; We all have good imaginations, right? hehe. thanks for pointing that out though.

**Sam: **Yes! Another girl page! You made me think of it actually. lol. Thank you so much! I know what you mean about whether she should get with Dom or Neal! I always thought Neal but now have read some awesome K/D ffs and am having second thoughts. Yes, I do think this will be a romance... or at least a little bit... but I don't know the couple for sure yet. I do have a bit of an idea, but I guess you will just have to wait to find out what it is. .

**Shadows and Levaire: **Thank you so much for your reviews! Even just hearing that someone likes my story is very encouraging. Thank you! .

**Alright! On with the story!**

* * *

Chapter 3

Kel got up before dawn as usual. After a quick stretch she went to wake Tobe up. Even after being with her for three years he still was not used to waking up at the same time that Kel did every morning.

"Do I have to?" He muttered as he pulled his blanket up over his head.

"It will be your fault if you get slow then," Kel answered, her hands on her hips.

Tobe grumbled to himself as he hauled himself out of his nice warm bed. After they both got dressed they got their staffs and worked on some simple routines. After they had finished this routine Kel began teaching him one of the most complicated routines that she knew. She had gotten half way through teaching it too him when someone started knocking on the door.

"Kel?" She recognized Neal's voice right away. "Come on Kel, open the door."

"What do you want?" she asked as she yanked the door open.

"Oh you are awake." Neal grinned at Kel as she leaned against her staff.

"Yes, did you want something?"

"Wow. Is she always this cranky in the morning?" he asked around Kel, looking at Tobe.

"Only when she has been interrupted," the boy replied.

"Oh I see," Neal answered. He looked at Kel again. "Are you going to make me stand out here all morning or can I come in?"

"I should just make you stand out there," Kel growled as she moved to the side so Neal could enter. "You might want to sit out of the way though, because I am going to finish this routine whether you are here or not. Tobe, you can finish learning it tomorrow."

Neal and Tobe sat quietly on the bed as they watched Kel start the routine over again. As they watched Neal felt his mind wander.

_She is really very good at this,_ he thought. _Well of course she is, Queenscove! She has been doing it for years. But she makes it look so easy. She is so graceful with it. As long as you don't notice the determined, get-in-my-way-or-I'll-beat-your-brains-out look on her face. Ah, her face. So—_

"Neal?" Kel yelled.

Neal jumped and looked up at her.

"What?!" He cried.

"Oh good. You are still alive there," Kel answered, putting her staff away. "Are you coming for breakfast?"

"Oh, yes." Neal stood up and the two of them said good bye to Tobe and headed for breakfast.

After they had eaten they went to the training yard where Lord Wyldon was drilling the first year pages at sword fighting.

"Your balance is all off Terris!" He was yelled at the new girl as she raised her sword to block her opponent's attack.

Kel quickly looked the girl over. The girl was not as big and strongly built as she was. She was thin and somewhat lanky. Her hair was still long and pulled back in a horse tail. Many strands of the black hair were falling out of the tie and in her face. Her green eyes flashed as she was trying to get her balance as well as block another attack from her opponent. In doing this she completely lost her balance and fell over. The boy she was fighting held his sword over her in the "kill" position.

"Terris! If you would have paid attention when you first started training here then you would have known to keep your balance. You need to keep your feet apart. If you put your feet together then you lose both balance and leverage," Lord Wyldon told her as she stood up.

"Yes, my lord," she answered before standing in line with the rest of the pages again.

Lord Wyldon then chose two more pages and had them fight each other as well. While he was doing this Kel walked over to the girl page.

"Terris," she said.

The girl turned around. As soon as she saw Kel her jaw dropped.

"You are the Lady Knight," she said, her voice barely audible. Kel smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that I am," she answered. "What is your name?"

"Sonya of Terris," she replied. "Not a knight worthy name."

She looked down, her voice sad.

"Sure it is!" Kel cried. "Who would have thought that Kelandry of Mindelan would become a knight. Kelandry isn't a very knight like name either."

"Sonya is too girly," Sonya answered not looking up. "And I'm not good at and of the fighting. I'm the worst page in my year. In the class room classes I am the best student, but in fighting? I can't beat anyone."

"Do you exercise extra to keep up with the boys?" Kel asked. Sonya shook her head, no. "That is what I had to do. Every morning I woke early to do a few sets of push ups as well as various weapon routine. I did have a bit of background in some weapons which helped a lot."

"Lady Kel!" Lord Wyldon called to her. Kel looked up to see what he wanted. "Would you take over the staff fighting today? The king wishes me to go speak with him."

"Yes, sir," Kel answered. She looked at Neal who had been standing quietly next to her half listening to her conversation with Sonya and half watching the pages practice. He smiled at her and then the two of them led the pages to the staff training area.

"How good are you with these?" She asked the pages. The tallest page of the group stepped forward.

"I'm the best in our year," the boy said smugly. Kel guessed that he was one of the trouble makes of the group.

"Well, how good is that?" Kel waved him over to her. "What is your name?"

"Devon of Sendila," he answered.

"Fight me," Kel commanded taking a fighting stance.

An almost scared look flashed across the boys face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. Quickly he got into a fighting position and attacked. Kel quickly lifted her staff to block him. He stuck again. She blocked again. He swung the staff over his head to and brought the staff down at her. She easily blocked it and then, using a handy move she had learned many years earlier, twisted the staff out of his hand.

"Your grip is too weak," she told him. "Neal, grab a staff and come here."

"Oh no, you have beat me too many times," Neal said taking a step back.

"We are going to do a demonstration," she said firmly. Then somewhat softer added, "I wont hurt you too badly."

"That makes me feel so much better," he muttered as he snatched a staff and walked over to her.

"Watch us," she commanded. "Notice the position of our feet and our hands on the staff."

She waited for Neal to make the first move. He did. He attacked, she blocked. She attacked he ducked and knocked her feet out from under her. She easily rolled and came to her feet again in a crouching position. The two continued to fight at a quick pace making it hard for the watching pages to see the moves they were making and the position their feet were in with these various moves. After a short time Kel managed to pry the staff out of Neal's hand and it flew through the air towards the pages. Sonya caught it before it could hit her on the head.

Kel turned to face the pages who stared at her awestruck. They had all heard about her, but they had never actually seen her fight.

"Now I want you all to pair up a safe distance away from others and try it yourselves. Neal and I will come around and see how you are doing," she told them. She wondered why she had said that Neal would help her as she watched them pair off.

_If I am planning on accepting this position I will need to be able to do this by myself, without Neal's help. _She told herself. _Oh well. He can help today._

As the pages started fighting together she and Neal walked among them each giving advice and each of them taking a page to practice with them every now and then. Kel worked with Sonya especially. The girl was right; she had very little skill at fighting. By the time the pages had to go to their archery session Sonya could at least block much better than she had been able to before.

"Well, that was interesting," Kel commented as she and Neal walked back to the palace.

"Yes, I think you make a great instructor," Neal told her.

"Really?" she said. Neal nodded. "I do enjoy teaching people."

"So just take the job," Neal said. "The worst that could happen would be that you could totally hate it."

"That's encouraging." She rolled her eyes at her friend. "But I think I will do it."

"Just please don't beat the kids as much as you do me. You beat me more than Lord Wyldon or anyone else ever did in the practice ring."

Kel grinned.

"Well, it made you quicker, didn't it?" she pointed out.

"Well, yeah. I guess so," he said slowly.

"So then it wasn't all bad." She punched him playfully on the arm then started running toward the palace.

"It still hurt!" Neal called after her as he began running after her.

* * *

**A/N: Reviews are really really nice! .**

**Kitty**


End file.
